Overview
Bloomberg Law and Law360 covered Steptoe's latest win for L.L. Bean in a proposed class action lawsuit over its century-old lifetime warranty. On March 14, US District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers again tossed a suit that claims new limits on L.L. Bean Inc.'s warranty violate consumer protection statutes, finding the company's most recent policy does not actually affect the customer's purchases. Judge Rogers said L.L. Bean's satisfaction guarantee — its promise to refund customers who are not satisfied with their products — is a two-way street and that customers seeking refunds under the policy should not be trying to return items with excessive wear and tear or bearing the evidence of misuse.
In August, Judge Rogers tossed the plaintiff's original complaint, saying the allegations were "hugely hypothetical" and that the suit "makes no sense," but gave him the opportunity to file an amended complaint. In her most recent ruling, Judge Rogers dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning the plaintiff cannot further amend the complaint.
L.L. Bean is represented by Steptoe partners Anthony Anscombe, Stephanie Sheridan and Darlene Alt, along with associates Meegan Brooks and Mary Beth Buckley.
The full articles can be read at Bloomberg Law and Law360 (subscriptions required).
